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This is a raven…
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…and this is a crow. |
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Both the crow and the raven are tough, ruthless birds.
They're a common sight in the countryside and woods around the UK. |
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But they've also learned to live in towns and cities – and they've even adapted to living around people! |
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If you've ever put bread down in a park or garden for birds to eat, and a great big black bird comes down to tuck in, the chances are you've looking at a crow or raven.
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Maybe you've seen a huge, sleek black bird on the motorway dodging traffic trying to scavenge a squashed hedgehog.
There's a good chance that's a raven or a crow. |
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But what are the differences between the two?
Well, the most obvious is size. The crow is only about the size of a large pigeon! |
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Yet the glossy, blue tinted raven can be three times bigger than the crow.
Although sometimes, a small raven can look very similar to a large crow, which is confusing!
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The crow on the right has a straight beak. It eats small prey like worms, insects and eggs.
Whereas the raven has a thicker, heavier beak which is more rounded at the bottom than the crow's.
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It uses that sharp beak to tear into rabbits, ducks and even young lambs.
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The crow on the right has fan-shaped tail feathers, but the raven's are wedge-shaped and come to a point in the centre.
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The crow's wingspan is 30cm across – but the raven's can be as big as 90cm – three times bigger!
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So next time you see a big black bird in your back garden, you should be able to spot the difference.
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